52 CONDITION. 
Notwithstanding this warning, Mr. Dixon would run her, and 
did, and being beaten took her out of training, though she was 
the soundest mare alive and had many good engagements that 
year, and by the next might have had many more. He put 
her to the stud, where she turned out a complete failure— 
indeed she did not live many years. 
Now a cough may be innocuous, or it may be fatal. Horses 
often cough on leaving the stable, and in it, and after galloping, 
whilst in good health. At the commencement of exercise 
horses will often cough, but if, after it, they blow their nostrils 
no ill-effect need be apprehended. From following others in 
their gallops a horse will get dirt in his mouth and so a cough ; 
but it quickly passes off. Again, horses will cough after being 
watered in the stable ; but it does not hurt them. But on the 
contrary, if horses cough badly in the stable before watering 
and feeding, or at exercise shortly before galloping, it is a 
certain warning, not only that they are not well, but that it is 
not possible to guess the*extent of their illness. Something 
similar, it may be remarked, can be said of lameness. 
Swollen legs may prove to be of trifling importance, or end 
in the total uselessness of the horse so afflicted. I have re- 
marked on this point in an earlier chapter, and also shown the 
variety of causes which create lameness, sometimes of little 
and sometimes of the greatest consequence. But as a matter 
of fact it should be added that nearly all horses trained for 
long-distance races, trot lame and yet are practically sound. 
It is well to note these things; for they serve to show 
how little owners really know of condition, the possible 
result of lameness, or effect of a cough; and how greatly 
to their advantage it would be, if they would listen to the 
advice of those whose occupation provides them with this 
information, But there are owners and owners, and a 
